Alejandro Vela, MECAâ€™s current Artist in Residence, is a former MECA student who also attended Houstonâ€™s High School for the Performing and Visual Arts. His principal teachers included Robert Avalon, former MECA Artist in Residence, and Yoheved Kaplinsky, under whose tutelage graduated from the Juilliard School of Music with both his Bachelor and Master's of Music degrees. Since making his debut with both Houston and Chicago Symphony Orchestras, he has performed throughout Europe, Israel, Mexico, Central America and the United States.

Emmanuelle Beaulieu Bergeron received two prizes magna cum laude in cello and chamber music from the Montreal music conservatory prior to continuing her studies at the Juilliard School of Music, where she earned a Masterâ€™s degree in 2005. She is currently in residence at the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University and is a member of the Kailas String Quartet, with whom she performs regularly.

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The concert is part of MECAâ€™s Cullen Trust for the Performing Arts Concert Series and is co-sponsored by Houston Arts Alliance. Mr. Vela, Ms. Beaulieu Bergeron and Mr. Merchant have all performed previously at MECA, now in its thirtieth year of promoting the healthy social, cultural and academic development of Houstonâ€™s at-risk, inner-city youth through education in the arts.

Tickets are $5 for all ages, and are available at www.ticketweb.com (reserved seating), or $9.00 at the door.